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Wednesday, December 18, 2013

Christmas Eve Romance

by Felicia Hodges

The children are
nestled and dreaming of all the Christmas day goodies that will be left for
them under the tree. What better time for you and your honey to enjoy a little
romance - Christmas Eve style?

For Mr. and Mrs.
Claus, Christmas Eve can be one of the busiest nights of the year. But, once
all the wrapping is done, make the rest of the evening special and just about
the two of you.

Plan Ahead

If you know
there are bikes that need to be put together and tons of gift boxes to wrap,
get as much done before Christmas Eve as you can so you have more time to spend
with your spouse. Try to wrap up presents as soon as you buy them or do
everything in one shot at a friend’s house. If you have a lot to do, make a
list and ask for help if you need it.

“Maybe a friend
can bring the bike to you to save the half-hour trip to get it,” suggests
Janine MacLachlan, an entertaining expert who contributes to the website
HomeMadeSimple.com. “Maybe even leave a note from Santa saying that he hopes
the kids have fun putting a particular toy together with their mom and dad on
Christmas morning. The key is to be creative about looking for other ways to
get things done.”

Let Your Inner
Child Out to Play

The holiday
season often gets to be almost entirely about the kids. As parents, it
important to let you children have fun, but too often, we get so caught up in
the gift giving for them that we forget about ourselves.

“It’s a real joy
to see your kids enjoy Christmas, but the kid inside of you may feel left out,”
says Tina B. Tessina, Ph.D., a licensed psychotherapist and author of “The
Unofficial Guide to Dating Again.” After nibbling on the celery for the
reindeer, give yourselves a chance to reflect on the year and remember the good
times, she suggests, by sitting down with your mate and opening a special tree
ornament or the surprise present you have for each other.

“It doesn’t have
to be something big or extravagant, just something that the other might enjoy
like a trinket, a rose or a fishing lure,” Tessina says. “It’s more emotional
than money-oriented and sort of like a private gift ceremony for just the two
of you.”

Use Your Senses

To really get
the romance rolling, MacLachlan suggests that you try to connect with all five
senses. Remember your sense of:

•
Smell - Light a few peppermint candles or simmer some spicy pine-needle
potpourri to get the olfactory system raring to go.

•Hearing
- Put on your favorite jazz CD instead of the same old Christmas tape that’s
been playing since the day after Thanksgiving.

•Taste
- Serve up some hors d’oeuvres that suggest togetherness. Avoid the hassles of
a clean up by trying some finger foods of already prepared items. Have an
indoor picnic on the living room floor.

•
Sight - Decorate a special corner of the room for the two of you to snuggle in.
Use some comfortable red and gold pillows and add to the mood with a little
subtle lighting.

•Touch
- Wrap up in a fuzzy afghan or accessorize with a silk scarf. Be tactile and
pay attention to what your wearing and how it might feel when he rubs his hands
over it.

Inda Livingston
and her husband, Randy, say they often look forward to the special sensory
connections the other has planned for their Christmas Eve extravaganza.

“We usually get
into a pair of silk pajamas - she gets the top and I get the bottoms,” Randy
says. “Next I always buy a special candle for us to light on Christmas Eve.”

“And I always
whip up something Christmasy to simmer on the stove while we sip our eggnog and
cuddle,” Inda adds.

Be a Bit Selfish

The holiday
season is mostly about giving, but there’s nothing wrong with thinking of you
and your man a little, too.

“We very much
focus outwardly around the holidays, MacLachlan says. “Pull it back towards the
couple and bring that focus back in. Have something really great to look forward
to. Remember it is all about being together and enjoying each other.”

About Me

I'm a publicist, writer, editor, adjunct journalism instructor and karateka who started down the martial path at age 37 - just three months after being diagnosed with breast cancer. Began radiation treatment and karate training while in graduate school (and earned a Master's with a big, fat 4.0, BTW!) because it really felt good to hit something and scream like a banshee - and it was cheaper than therapy :-).